Classifier



Jan. 10, 1928.

A. H. STEBBINS 'CLASSIFIER Filed NOV. 24. 1926 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 Jan.10, 1928. 1,655,575

7 A. H. STEBBINS CLASSIFIER Filed Nov. 24. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 in V9]?for 24 yr" Azorn zgy Patented Jan. 10, 1928.

UNITEDgSTATES ALBERT H. STEBBINS, DE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

CLASSIFIER.

Application filed November 24, 1926. 1 Serial No. 150,410.

relatively fine it is necessary to subject them to successive treatments111 order to remove completely the fine particles from the coarsermaterials.

The present invention is therefore directed to a multiple treatmentclassifier which is so constructedthat the materials passing downwardlythrough the treatment chamber are subjected time and time again to theseparating action of air currents that extract the liner from the largerparticles.

One of the features of the present invention resides in a treatmentchamber-having downwardly inclined platesalong which the materialstravel and having an air jet adjacent thelower endof each plate fordirecting a blast of air upwardly through the materials deliveredby aplate.

Another feature of the invention resides in. the. location of theconduits for the air blasts at the under side ofth e'inclined plateswhereby air under pressureis supplied at the lower-ends of theinclinedplates while the useof air passages extending inwardly from awall of thecasing acrossthe settling compartments is avoided.

Another feature of the invention resides in the novel arrangement ofparts for supplying air under pressure and from the atmosphere to theinterior of the casing near the lower ends of the inclined plates, and.

in the means for exhausting air from the settling conuiiartments.

Other features of the invention and novel combination of parts inadditionflto the above will be hereinafter described in con-v nectionwith the accompanying drawings whichillustrate one good practicalform otthe invention.

In the drawings:--

Fig. 1. is a vertical sectional view through aclassitier constructed inaccordance with the present invention," i

Fig. onan enlarged scale is a perspective riew at the classifier 01?Fig. 1, the casing beingpartly brokenaway and the exhaust pipes beingomitted;

V ig. 3 is a side view of Fig. l; I

Fig. 4 on an enlarged scale is a plan view of Fig. 3 with parts insection; and

Fig.5 onan enlarged scale is a sectional view takenon the line 55 ofFig. 1.

The treatment of the materials in accord ance with the present inventionis effected in a casingconstructed to be supported in an uprightposition, and it; is shown in the drawings as rectangular in crosssection. This casing is conveniently formed of sheet metal and has thevertically disposed end walls 10 which are secured to the vertical sidewalls 11. The materials to be treated are delivered into the treatmentchamber formed withinthe'casing by a hopper which I inthe constructionshown is mounted in the upper portion of the casing and is provided withthe downwardly converging wal1s'12 and13having the dischargeopening 14adjacent their lower ends, and the: size of the opening 14; may bevaried by adjustingthe sliding gate 15 to control the rate at which [thematerials are delivered into the treatment chamber.

The materials to be treated; downi :Wa-rdly through the treatmentchamber under the influence of gravity and anumber of downwardlyinclined plates :16 are mounted within the treatment chamber to directthe materials from one plate to-another, and also for the-purpose offorming settling compartments within the chamber. The inclination atwhich the plates 16' are supported will depend to some extent upon thenature of the materials being treated. If the materials are relativelycoarse they will slide freely along the inclined plates without tendingto cling to the same, in whic'hcase the downward inclination of theplates need notbe very great, but-if the materials being treated arevery fine they will tend to cling or stick to the plates 16, and inorder to prevent this it will benecessary to mount the plates at a steepinclination, as shown in the drawings.

The length of the treatment chamber and" the number of inclined plates.16 employed therein will vary with the nature of the mab pfinclinedplates 16 may beemployefib move downwardly within the casing.

and the air is exhausted through which extend downwardly along the fan.

If, however, the classifier of the present invention is to be employedto separate tine, dust-like particles it will be necessary to treat thematerials over and over again in order to ell'ect their sc miation andto ar complish this it; will be necessary to malce the triatmentchan'iber oit suliicient length to i rovide therein a large number ofsteeply inclined plates 16.

\ in the embodiment of the in vention shown iu'thc drawings the plates16 ire in'oin'ited to slope downwardly from the opposite end walls-1O ofthe casing towards the central portion of the casing so that thematerials are directed baclc and forth by the inclined. plates from oneplate to the other as they Between the adjacent inclined plates to ateach side of the casing are "formed the HtlF ding compartments .l'i'. itis desirable to exhaust air from the upper portion of these compartments1? to remove from the treat uicut clnunber the lighter. particles thatremain suspended in the air. This is accompiished in the embodiment ofthe invention shown by providing the air exhaust openings IS in the endwalls ill) of the casing, these openings by providing the exhaust pipes19 each vertical end wall of the casing. Air may be exhausted from eachof the pipes 19 by ancxhaust fan 20 having the laterally-extending;l'iranch pipes 21 (see Fig. that lead tromt-he fan to the upper end ofthe pipes 19. The volume or" air removed from the treatment chamber bythe exhaust an 20 may be controlled as desired by adjusting the sliding'gate 22 mounted adjacent The separation of the materials passingdownwardly within the treatment chamber is eli'ected by directing ablast of air against the materials at a point near the lower end of.each inclined plate 16. the arrangement being such that th lightermaterials are blown by the air blast into an adjacent set- The'parti'les that settle in this compartment will slide down the inclinedplate 16 of said compartment into the path of another air blast,whereupon they will be blown into another compartment 1,7 forretreatment. In this manner the materials are treated over and met againas they pass downwardly within the easing'mnd the lighter materials thatremain suspended in the air are carried off by the exhaustpipes 19 whilethe heavier materials worktheir way downwardly into the hopper '23 atthe lower end of the casing, from which they may be drawn from time totime through the discharge spout 24.

The strength of the blasts introduced within the treatment chamberadjacent the lower-end of each inclined plate 16 may be controlled bymeans to be described and, as above stated, the x'olume of air exhaustedfrom the treatment compartments 1'? ma y be controlled by adjusting thesliding gate J. It will be apparent that it the volume of air exhaustedtrom the treatment chamber exceeds the amount oi air introduced into thechamber by the air. blasts a partial racuum will. be produced within thetreatment chamber which will cliect, the separation of the materials. Itn'ray therefore be desirable to admit air into the casing; from theatmosphere and one 01 the features of the present invention resides inmeans for introducing air from the atmosphere into the casing adjacentthe lower end of each inclined plate 16. This is accomplished in theconstruction shown by providing a con duitforming strip oi material 25at the under lace-of each inclined plate 16 adjacent the lower endthereof, and the up er portion of each etrip E3? is bent as best shownin Fig. to lorin a transversely cX- tcuding cud junftion 26 whichromnumiratcs with an opening); 27 formed in a side wall l0 oi the casingthe arrangement bcina such that air from the atmosphere \\'l]l('llenters an opening QIwill be li'll'iOtlUCOtl into the casing adjacent thelower end of an inclined plate 16 along which the part cula" conduitforming strip extends. The a: which is introduced from the atmosphere atthe lower end of each of the inclined plates 16 will rise in the casingunder the influence ot the eizhaust produced by the exhaust pipes 19 andas a result will pass upwardly through the materials sliding along:

the adjacent inclined plates 16 as these in teriale reach the lower endsof the plates to remove therefrom the finer particles.

it. may be desirable to control the. amount of air permitted to enterthe treatment chamber through the openings 2? and this is accomplishedin the construrtimi shown by providing a suction inlet pipe :28 that.extends lengthwise ot' the side wall ll o l the casing. and this pipe isdivided into any desired num er rt compartments by the tra, werselyexteiidins partit' io amount; of air permitted to enter a portion ol thepipe 98 lying between two parlitione may be regulated as desired byadjustinga sliding gate mounted upon the outcr wall of the pipe 28 andwhich controls the size of the air inlet opening 31.

An important feature of the present in rention, a above indicated,resides in the construction whereby the means for admitting air from theatmosphere and for in troducing an air blast into the casingadjacent'the lower end of each downwardly inclined plate 16 shall notobstruct the entrance to the settling compartment 17. The means forintroducing the air blasts into the casing as, well as the means just dcEl i pipe 32 is provided that extends lengthwise of aside wall 11 of thecasing opposite the pipe 28, and air under pressure will be supplied tothe pipe 3:2 by the blast fan 33.

The strength of air supplied to'the pipe 32 by this fan may becontrolled by adjus't ing the sliding gate 34. The air from the V blastpipe 32 is ledinto the treatment chamher through openingsgzi formed inaside wall of the casing, and each of these openings communicates withan air blast conduit formed at the under face of a strip abovementioned. These ,air blast conduitsare formed by providing a plate36'adjacent the under face of each strip 25,- andthe upper end of eachplate 36 is bent as shown in the drawings to close the upper portionotthe air blast conduit, while the lower end of each plate 36 is bentaround the lower end of the adjacent strip 25 to form an air blastopening 37 which directs a blast ofair upwardly in the directionindicated'by the arrows across the path of the materials sliding downthe adjacentinclined plate 16. The ar 'angement such that the materialsdirected by an inclined plate into the path of an air blast will beblown upwardly into an adjacent treatment compartment 17, as abovepointed out. I 1

From the foregoing description, when read in connection with thedrawings, it will be seen that the strength of the air blasts employedin effecting the desired separation of the materials may be varied asdesired by adjusting theisliding gate 34, and that the strength of theair exhaust means may be regulated by adjusting the sliding gateQQ; italso will be understood that the amount'oi? air introduced into thetreatment chamber from; the atmosphere may be controlled as desired byadjusting the sliding gates 30f which control the air admitted to thedifferent air compartments of thepipe 28. Through the properadseparation.

justmentof the gates just mentioned the treatment of the materialswithin the classifier may be carefully regulated, and since the"materials passing downwardly within the classifier aresubjected time andtime again to the separating action of air passing through thematerials, the fine particles may be completely removed from theslightly heavier particles,

What is claimed is 1 t I. A classifier, comprlsmg 1n combination, anupright casing constructed to pro-v thus efi'ecting the desired wardlytherein under means for introducing a blast of air into the ride-atreatment chamber, means for ,de-

livering the materials to be treated into the upper'portionyof thechamber to move down-- wardly therein under the forcecof gravity,

a series of downwardly inclined plates mounzted'in the chamber toreceive the fall ing materials, means adjacent the lower end of eachinclined plate for directing atblast of air upwardly across the path ofthe mate rials sliding along the respective plates to carry the lighterparticles upwardly away from the plate that delivers'the materials to a.particular air blast, and means for remow ing from the chamber thelighter lparti'c :v

that remain suspended in the air.

' 2. 1h classifier, comprising in combination, an upright casingconstructed to provide a treatment chamber, means -tor delivering thematerials to be treated into the 'up'pcrportion of the chamber to movedownwardly therein under the force of gravity, a series oi downwardlyinclined plates mounted in the chamber to receive the falling materials,means'a'djacent the lower 'cndof, each inclined plate i'or directing ablast of air upwardlyacross the pathoi the materials sliding along therespective plates to carry thelighter particlesupwardly-away from theplate that delivers the'materials to a particular air blast, meansforintroducing air from the atmosphere into the "chamber to passupwardly through the materials, and

means for removing from the chamber he lighter particles that rema nsuspended in the air. t 1 3. A classifier, comprising in combination,aniupright casing constructed toprovide ia'treatment chamber, means fordelivering the materials toflbe treated .into the upper portion of thechamber to move downwardly therein under the force of gravity, a seriesof downwardly. inclined plates mounted in the chamber to receive thefallingmaterials, conduit means for.in-

troducing airunder pressure into the chamber adjacent the under faceofeach plate and provided with a nozzle for directinga blast of airupwardly across the path of the materials sliding along therespectiveplates to carry" the lighter particles upwardly within the casing, andmeans for removing from the chamber the lighter particles that remainsuspended inthe air. j

4. A classifier, comprising in combination, an upright casingconstructed to provide atreatment chamber, a seriesi'ofinclinedplatesinounted in the casing so that they extend "downwardlyfrom the opposite sides of the casingto direct the materials from oneplate to another, means for delivering thematerials to be treated intothe upper portion. of the casingto pass down the force of gravity,

h m er at th l wer and of a h Plate t pass upwardly across the path ofthe materials sliding downwardly along a plate, and

means for removing from the casing the lighter particles that remainsuspended in the air. 1

5. it classifier, comprising in combination,

' an upright casing constructed to provide a downwardly from theopposite I treatment chamber, a series of inclined plates casing so thatfrom the casing the lighter particles that remain suspended in the air.

(3. A. Classifier, comprising in combination, an upright casingconstructed to provide a treatment chamber, a series of inclined platesmounted within the casing so that thcv extend downwardly from theopposite sides of the casing; to direct the materials from one plate toanother, means for delivering the materials to be treated into the upperportion of the casing to pass downwardly therein, an air supply conduitformed beneath each plate and h ving; an air blast nozzle adjacent thelower end of the plate for forcing 'air upwardly through thematerialssliding down the inclined plate, means for introducing airunder pressure into the conduit through a side wall of the casingtransversely of the plate, and means for removing from the casing thelighter particlesth at remain suspended in the air.

7. A classifier, comprising in combination, an uprigg'ht casingconstructed to providea treatment chamber, a series oi inclined platesmounted within the casing so, that they extend downwardly from theopposite sides of the casing to direct the materials "from one plate toanother and arranged to torm settling compartments between the plates,means for deliver '1 the materials to'be treated. into the uppe portionof the casing to pass downwardly therein, an air supply conduit termedbeneath each plate and arranged so as not to extend across or close thesettling compartment between the adjacent plates and having a dischargeend for directinga blast of air through the materials sliding down aplate, and means for exhausting air from saidcompartments.

8.-A multiple treatment classifier, com prising in combination, anupright casing CODSlZIUI'tGCl to provide a, treatmentchamber, a seriesof inclined plates mounted in the casing to extend downwardly from theop posito sides oi": the casing in staggered relation and arranged toform settling compart ments within the chamber, means tor delivering "hematerials to be treaed into the upper portion oi? the casing to passdownwardly therein, means for producing a jet of a' adjacentthe lowerend of each inclined plate to blow the lighter materials sliding; downan inclined plate upwardly into the opposite settling compartment sothat they are blown alternately into the opposite compartments, andmeans for removing from the compartments the lighter particles thatremain suspended in the air.

A multiple treatment classifier, comprising in combination, an uprightcasing; having vertical side and end walls and constructed to -torm atreatment chamber, a series of inclinee plates mounted in the casing toextend downwardly fro a the opposite vertical. end walls of the casingto direct the materiz-ils from one plate to another, means fordelivering the materials to he treated into the upper portion of thecasing to pass 1 J, iownwardl therein, an air blast pipe OX tendinglengthwise 0t thecasing, an air conduit formed beneath each inclinedplate and communicating;' with said pipe through a side wall oi? thecasing and each cond uit having a discharge end adjacent the lower endof a plate and adapted o blow air upwardly through the materialstraveling down the plate as they reach the lower end thereof, and meansfor removing from the casing; the particles that remain suspend-ed thean 10. A mu tiple treatment classifier, com-- prising in combination, anupright casing having vertical side and end walls and constructed toform a treatment chamber, a series of inclined plates mounted in thecasing to extend downwardly from the opposite vertical end walls of thecasing to direct the materials from one plate to another, means fordelivering the materials to be treated into the upper portion oil thecasing to pass downwardly therein, aair blast pipe cX lending lengthwiseof the casing, an air conduit formed beneath each inclined plate andcommunicating with said pipe through a side wall of the if ,4 and' eachconduit having; a discharge'end -adjacent the lower end of a plate andadapted to blow air upnrdly through the materials trawling down theplate, means i'or introducing air from the atn'iosphere into thec'asingadjacent the lower end of the inclined plates through the opposite sidewall, and means for removing from the casing; the particles that. remainsuspei'ided-in the air. i

11. 'A multiple treatment classifier, comprising in combination, anupright casing having vertical side and end walls and con-- structed toterm a treatment chamber, a

series oitinclined plates mounted in the casing to extend downwardlyfrom the oppo- Iii site Vertical end Walls to direct the materials fromone plate to another and arranged to form sett-hng compartments betweenthem, a suction conduit extending lengthwlse of each of said end wallsto exhaust air from said compartments, means for delivering the materials to be treated to the upper portion of the casing topassdownwardly therein, and means for delivering air under'pressure into thecasing through a side wall thereof and for dir sting a jet of airupwardly through the materials adjacent the lower end ofeach plate sothat the materials will be carried vertinl end walls to direct thematerials from one plate to another and arranged to form settlingcompartments between them, a suction conduit extending lengthwise ofeach of said end walls to exhaust air from said compartments, means fordelivering the materials to be treated to the upper portion of thecasing to pass downwardly therein,

means for delivering air under pressure into the casing through one sidewall thereof to produce air blasts in the casing that are directedacross the path of the materials sliding along;' said plates, and meansfor introducing air from the atmosphere into the casing through theopposite side wall.

13. A classifier, comprising in combina tion, an upright'casingconstructed to pro vide a treatment chamber, means for delivering then'iaterials to be treated into the upper portion of the chamber to movedownwardly therein, a series of inclined plates mounted in the casing sothat they extend downwardly from the opposite sides of the casing todircct the materials from one plate to another, an air blastpipeextending along a side wall (it the casing adjacent the inner endsof said plates, conduits for conducting air under pressure from saidpipe to the lower ends of the inclined plates to produce air jets thatare directed upwardly through the materials travelinglengthwise of *saidplates, adjustable means for admitting air from the atmosphere into thecasing through the opposite wall thereof, and means for removing fromthe casing the light. particles that remain suspended in the air.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name tothis specification.

' ALBERT H. srnBBi s.

